Dispensing apparatus



,June 25, 1935. L JEPPSSON DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 27, 1934 2 sheets-sheef 1 fIZZ/ey.

DIsPENsING-APPARAT-Us Filed Jan. 27, 1954 2 sheesfsneet 2 Y In deze@ fydf fe/022955022.

atented June 25, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT ENCE Flexible Shaft Compa ration of Illinois ny, Chicago, lll., a corpo- Application January il?, 1934, Serial No. 708,561

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved form and construction of a dispensing apparatus particularly adapted for cigarette dispenser and lighter, said apparatus being adapted to be rested on a proper support, as on a desk or table and handled bodily by the user for dispensing, lighting and taking a cigarette therefrom.

The invention consists in the elements and features of construction shown and described as indicated in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure lis a perspective view of a device embodying the invention, the same being shown standing erect on a support in the form of an ash tray.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the dispenser held in the hand of the user in the manner and position for operating for dispensing, igniting and protruding the cigarette for withdrawal by the lips of the user giving a single puff for completing the ignition of the cigarette, the cigarette being shown protruded, in dotted outline.

Figure 3 is a front end View of the dispenser with the front end cap plate removed.

Figure 4 is a side view of the mechanism removed from the casing shown in the horizontal position occupied when held by the user as illustrated in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an inverted view with the mechanism in the position of Figure 2, the parts which are movable for dispensing, protruding and igniting the cigarette being shown in normal rest position.

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 5 showing the movable parts in the position to which they are moved for dispensing, protruding and igniting.

Figure 7 is a transverse section taken as indicated at 1--1 on Figure 4.

Figure 8 is a section at the line 8-8 on Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail:

The device comprises a casing, A, of generally cylindrical form shown longitudinally bulging for attractive appearance, having removable end caps, A1, at `what may be referred to as the forward end, and A2, at the opposite rear end. The cap, A1, is held in .position by bayonet lock engagement of apertures, a1, a1, with short headed studs, |03, I0, on the head plate, B1, ofy the mechanism frame hereinafter described; and the cap, A2, is held in position by a headed tapped sleeve, a2, inserted through a hole in the cap, A2, and screwed onto a threaded stud, II, protruding from the head, B2.

(ci. cl2-c6) i The mechanism included in the cylindrical casing, A, comprises a frame structure consisting of the front end plate, B1, and rear end plate, B2, connected by a bottom plate, B3, riveted at opposite ends to said end plates as seen at I3-I 3, and by a plate, B, located opposite the plate, B3, and riveted to the end plate, as seen at I4-I4. Said plates, B3 and B, have other functions, as hereinafter described beside rigidly connecting the end plates. Y

The plates, B3 and B4, are desirably integral, and whether integral or in separate pieces they are connected at the forward end transversely of the length of the frame structure by a cigarette support lodgment member, C, formed upwardly concave with itsconcavity suitably dimensioned for accommodating the forward end portion of a cigarette which the construction as hereinafter described, is arranged to deliver into the seat thus provided.

For supporting the rear end of the cigarette there Is provided a similarly formed support or lodgment, C1, the two parts, C and C1, being hereinafter referred to in entirety as the cigarette lodgment. The lodgment member, C1, is formed asa projection laterally from a slide plate, D, which is mounted for sliding longitudinally along the plate, B4, with which it is engaged by headed studs, I6, I6, rigid with the plate, D, and cooperating with a longitudinal slot, b4, in the plate, B1, for said sliding movement. The plate, D, has a further function in connection with delivery or protrusion and ignition of the cigarette, as hereinafter described.

It may be understood from the description thus far that the cylinder, A, constitutes part of the enclosing wall of the receptacle for cigarettes of which the plate, B4, and the cigarette lodgments, C, C1, also constitute parts. Another part of the enclosure Aof this receptacle consists of a wall member, E, which is plvotally carried on a rod, I1, which extends rigidly between the end plates, B1 and B, at a position not far from the upper edge of the plate, B4. A spring, I8, coiled about the rod, I1, and stopped at one end on the rear end plate, as seen at I8, and at the other end stopped against the under side of said wall member, E, operates for yieldingly stressing said wall member, E1, outwardly with respect to the receptacle cavity, and a bracket plate, I9, riveted onto the back side of said pivoted wall member, E,

encounters by its upper edge a stop pin, 20, carried by a thrust bar, F, which is slidingly mounted at b2, in the end plate, B2, and by a stud, f, engages a slot, b4", in the fixed plate, B4,

. I I, at its unrecessed part, and in that position stops the pivoted wall member, E, at a position at which its lower edge overhangs the concavity of the cigarette lodgments, C, C1, so as to exclude a. cigarette which may bel in the receptacle from becoming lodged in the lodgments.

For a purpose which will hereinafter appear,

the recess, |911, in the ,upper edge of the bracket, I9, is terminated at the forward end by a cam slope, |91, with which the stop pin, 20, of the thrust bar cooperates in a later part of the thrust stroke for actuating the pivoted member, E, to restore it to normal rest position overhanging the lodgements, C, C1. The recess, I9", in the edge of the bracket, I8, is of such depth that when the thrust bar is thrust inwardly against the reaction of the normally retracting spring, 25, a distance carrying the stop pin, 20. over the recess, I9, the pivoted member, E, is released from the restraint of the stop pin and its spring, I8, and reacts for swinging said pivoted member about the pivot rod, Il, carrying the lower edge of said member, E, back from its normal rest position where it overhangs the lodgments, C, C1, excluding access of a cigarette thereto, and thus permitting a cigarette which may be in the receptacle to become seated in the lodgments.

In order that when the receptacle contains several cigarettes (the capacity, as shown, being for about twenty) so that they would normally be lodged one above the other successively behind the lowermost one which would tend to drop into .the lodgment, C, C1, when the latter are uncovered by the back swing of the member, E, the lowermost cigarette shall be segregated from the quantity behind and above it, and thereby allowed to drop into the lodgments without being crowded thereinto, and so prevented from lying loosely therein, there is provided mounted rigidly on the front side oif the swinging wall member, E, by upset lugs, indicated at 23, a. bracket, G,- preferably extending the whole length of the member, E, said bracket having its upper face concavely sloping, as seen at g, and comprising a part, g1, folded back from the lower edge forming 8, downwardly facing stop lip which extends to the face of the member, E, to'which said stop lip is secured, as seen at 23.'

The lodgment and securement of the stop lip of the bracket, G. against the face of the pivoted member, E, is at a line parallel with the lower edge, e3, of the member. E, at a distance above the upper face of the member, B3, at least equal to the diameter of the cigarettes t'o be dispensed by the device, so that a cigarette rolling of! from the upper curved sloping surface of the bracket, G, onto the frame member, B3, androlling back on that member against the lower marginal portioin, e5, of the pivoted member, E, and rolling thus under the stop lip, g1, will be segregated from any quantity of cigarettes which may be in the receptacle above or behind the one in question, and will be accommodated loosely in the nook thus formed for its reception under the stop lip, from which place of retreat and segregation it will be free to drop onto the lodgments, C, C1, when by the operation of the thrust bar, as above described, the pivoted member, E, is caused to swing back for giving access from said nook of segregation to the lodgments.

The forward end plate, B1, is cut away at the upwardly concavely curved line, 30, bounding the cut, which is made to afford access through what may be referred to as the loading doorway to the receptacle for storing therein the quantity of cigarettes which it is adapted to contain loosely enough to permit dispensing them one by one according to the purpose of the device; and it will be understood that for thus supplying the receptacle with cigarettes the front end cap, A1, will be disengaged in the manner permitted by the bayonet lock securing means, and temporarily removed. Said forward end plate, B1, in addition to the opening for admitting the supply of cigarettes to the receptacle, has a cigarette delivery port, 26, located near the circumference of said end plate at the lower side approximately opposite the part of that circumference which is cut away in forming theloading doorway, The front end cap, .A1, has an opening, 26, positioned .in registration with the port, 2li,A so that a cigarette may be protruded from the receptacle through the port, 26, without removing the cap, A1.

The pivoted member, E, carries at its forward end a shutter, e, for closing the port, 26, arranged for effecting such closure at the position of the member, E, to which it is retracted when the stop pin, 20, is positioned over the recess, I9,

before that stop pin operates on the cam slope,

|911, for camming the member, Ejback to lodgment-covering position, as above described.

The slide plate, D, which carries the movable- Amember, B4, has a longitudinal slot, b4, which is engaged at two headed studs, I6, I6, rigid with the slide plate, D, and for actuation of the slide bar in its sliding movement the latter is formed with a rack, d, which engages a gear sector, L, which is plvotally mounted at its center on the frame member, B4, as seen at 35; and a spring, 33, coiled about the pivot stud, 35, stopped at one end on the edge of the frame member, as seen at 31, and at the other end on a stud, 38, set in the gear sector at a short distance from the pivot, operates for holding thegear sector normally at position for holding the slide plate retracted to normal rest position; and the stud.

Il, is located in position to serve as an abutment for encounter by a shoulder of the thrust bar, F, in the thrust in which, as described above, the stop pin, 20, of the thrust bar, running off the unrecessed part of the upper edge of the bracket, il, and over the recess, |311, causes the pivoted member, E, to be swung back for uncovering the cigarette lodgments, C, C1. The shoulder, 2l, being formed by recessing the upper edge of the thrust bar, as seen in Figure 5, said recess produces at the forward end a shoulder, 291. which in the reaction of the stretched spring, 25, is stopped at the forward side of the stud, 38, for holding the thrust bar retracted to normal rest position.

Upon considering these details of the construction, it will be understood that the operation of the thrust bar thrusting it forward against the reaction of the spring, 25, for the distance necessary to carry the stop pin, 20, over the recess, I9, causing the member, E, to be swung back from lodgment-covering position, does not bring the shoulder, 29, into encounter with the,

stud, 38, and so is without effect for causing sliding movement of the slide plate, D. And it will be seen 'that when the thrust bar is thrust forward past the point-at which the stop pin, 20, comes into cooperation with the cam slope, ISD, the member, E, is cammed out from its backswung position to lodgment-covering position; and the length of the recess, 29, in the upper edge of the thrust bar, F, is such that the shoulder, 29, encounters the stud, 38, at the stage in the thrust movement at which the pivoted member, E, is thus restored to lodgment-covering position; and in the further thrust movement, the sector gear is Yactuated by encounter of the shoulder, 29, and by its engagement with the rack, actuates the slide bar, D, for moving the movable lodgment, C1, and the cigarette ejector, K, forward for protruding from the casing a cigarette which will have been lodged, as described, on the lodgments, C, C1, under the bracket, G.

And, considering the construction as described, it will be seen that the delivery port, 28, is closed by the shutter, e, at the stage in the operation at which the cigarette segregated under the bracket, G, is dropped onto the lodgments, C, C1, and that the continuing thrust of the thrust bar causes the stop pin, 20, to cooperate with .the cam slope, I9, as described for swinging the member, E, out to lodgement-covering position, opening the port, 26, before the encounter of the shoulder, 29, with the stud, 38, actuates the slide bar for protruding the cigarette as described; and that actuation when it occurs is thus effective for protruding the cigarette.

Upon further consideration of the construction as above described, it will be seen that by reason of the relations of the shoulder, 29, on the thrust bar and the stud, 38, at rest position of the thrust bar and sector gear, in comparison with the relation of the cam slope, I9, to the stop pin, 20, at the rest position of the thrust bar, the camming 'of the member, E, back to normal rest position occurs before the encounter of the shoulder, 29, with the stud, 38, and thus before the ejector is operated for encounter with a cigarette which may have dropped onto the lodgments, C, C1; and thus before the cigarette ejecting movement occurs, the back swing of the member, E, will have caused its lower marginal part which projects below the lip, g1, of the bracket, G, to swing back toward the lower receptacle-wall member, B3, and cigarettes which may be contained in the receptacle behind the one which having been segregated, has become lodged on the lodgments, are barred from access to the lodgments, and thereby the action of the ejector for protruding a cigarette is limited to the cigarette thus lodged in alignment with the delivery port.

And from the foregoing description it may be understood that the user desiringy to take a cigarette will hold the dispenser in one hand in substantially horizontal position with the delivery port, 28, at the lower side, and pushing in the thrust bar, will in the early part of the thrust stroke cause the cigarette which will have rolled voif the curved slope of the bracket, G, carried bythe pivoted member, E, and be lying on the upper surface of the frame member, B3, to be free to roll off the edge, b3", of said frame member, B3, and drop onto the lodgments, C, C1.

In the continuing of the thrust stroke, the pivoted member, E, will be cammed back to and past its normal rest position, carrying the shutter, e, to position for uncovering the delivery port; and in the completion of the thrust stroke, the lodgment, C1, and the ejector, K, respectively carry and impel the cigarette along the lodgment, C, and out through the delivery port, 26, from which the cigarette will protrude the portion of its length corresponding to the range of the stroke after encounter of the shoulder, 29, with the stud, 38; and the protrusion of the cigarette being sufficient for convenient grasp, the user grasping it by the other hand, will complete its withdrawal, or may do so with his lips.

One purpose of this invention being to provide for automatic lighting of the cigarette in the operation for protruding it, the ejector, K, is made as an electrically energized igniter of familiar construction requiring no detail illustration or description beyond noting the outer electrically conductive casing, 50, clasped by one switch member, 45, and the axial conductive core, 5 I, contacting at its exposed end the other switch member, 41.

The energizing circuit connection indicated at 40 by the flexible cable in Figure 5, comprises a circuit-controlling switch which includes a fixed member and a movable member, the xed member consisting of an insulating block, 42, mounted on the frame member, Bi, and two conductive spring contacts, 43, 44, insulated from each other by the insulating block. The movable switch comprises two conductive contacts, 45, 41, insulatedly mounted on the slide plate, D, as indicated by the insulation, 4|, interposed between the slide plate and said contacts, and insulating the latter from each other, as well as from the slide plate.

The two pairs of contacts are mounted at such position on the member, B4, and the slide plate, D, respectively, as to cause the cooperating contacts to make circuit conductive contact with their respective members in the finishing part of the slide movement of the slide plate, D, produced by the thrust stroke of the thrust bar, F, in the part of that stroke after the encounter of the shoulder, 29, with the stud, 38; and thus the igniter is energized at the instant of its encounter with the rear end of the cigarette for functioning as the ejector.

Certain minor but useful features of the construction and operation will now be mentioned.

When there are only a few cigarettes in the receptacle so that they may not always be forced by each other into perfect parallelism, but in some instances some of them may lie in oblique position, it may happen that the one which in a given instance is foremost or lowest, so as to be segregated, and dropped onto the lodgment, may drop at one end through the gap on the lodgment while the other end hangs on the edge of the gap. To ensure that the segregated cigarette shall in every instance drop through full length into the lodgment, the lower edge of the wall member, B3, is furnished with what may be referred to as a wiper 48, consisting of a flat spring attached as a lug to the lower edge of the member, E, extending toward the member, B3, so as to overhang the gap when the member, E, is rocked for opening the gap. This wiper is desirably located about midway in the length of the cigarette, and

may be wide enough to tend to align the cigarette accurately, and resilientl enough to react on the cigarette for seating it on the lodgment and pressing it slightly on the seat.

It is important that the delivery port, 26, shall be closed when the pivoted member, E, is swung back ior affording access of the segregated cigarette to the lodgment, from which if the delivery port were open, the cigarette might tall out if the user failed to hold the device substantially horizontal. Prevention of such mishap is accomplished as described by the thrust bar 'carrying the stop pin, 20, to position over the recess, I9, in the edge of the bracket, I9, in the initial part of .the thrust stroke, before the shoulder, 29, encounters the stud, 38, for

actuating the ejector for expelling the cigarette;

but obviously the shutter must be opened very lpromptly when the ejector begins to push the cigarette in delivery direction, since the longitudinal dimensions of the structure make very slight allowance for lost motion between the ejector and-the cigarette or free movement of the cigarette between the ejector and the shutter;` and since an appreciable amount of movement of the thrust bar is required for camming the shutter open, provision must be .made for beginning the camming before the ejector begins to impel the cigarette. This lis accomplished by the construction as described providing for the encounter of the stop pin, 20, with the cam slope, I9b, of the recess, |98, and for the movement of the stop pin, 29, over nearly the entire slope ofthe cam shoulder, I9b, before the shoulder, 29, of the thrust bar reaches the stud, 38, of the sector gear, s6 that the opening movement of the shutter is nearly completed when the ejector begins to move against the cigarette, and is completed by the stop pin, 20, completing its travel over the cam slope, i9b, by the time the slight range of lost motion of the cigarette between the ejector and the shutter is absorbed.

It will be recognized that when the receptacle has been supplied with a proper quantity of cigarettes to be dispensed, some of them will roll down onto the lower side receptacle wall member, B3, and one of them will tend to roll under the lip, g1, vand lieagainst the margin, e3, ready to drop into the lodgment when at initial thrust movement of thev thrust bar, as described, the member, E, is swung back uncovering the lodgment for access of the waiting cigarette, which in the completion of the thrust stroke, will be ignited and protruded. And in the return movement of the thrust bar due to the cooperation of the stop pin, 20, with the recessed upper edge of the bracket, I9, as described, the member, E, is again swung back uncovering the lodgment and admitting the next waiting cigarette. Thus there are two opportunities in the dispensing operation of the device for a cigarette to become positioned for being ignited and dispensed. And it will be noted that if for any reason, such as the oblique positioning of some of the cigarettes in the receptacle causing what might be called entanglement of the cigarettes with each other, it should happen that in any instance of attempted use of the apparatus for dispensing, the cigarette contents should be all still lodged on the member, E, the rstoperation of the thrust bar for obtaining a cigarette, agitating the member, E, in the back and forth swinging vdue to the cooperation of the stop pin, 20, with'the,recess and cam slope o! the upper edgeot the bracket, I9. as above described, will dislodge the obliquely crossed cigarettes from the member, E, and cause the first releasedone to drop onto the lower-side wall member, B3, and roll at least into the segregated position described, ready for escape into the lodgment at the next actuationof the thrust bar, 'and in some instances to eiect such escape at the first thrust and be dispensed at that thrust.

When the user wishes not only to take a cigarette from the dispenser, but to take it lighted, the vcircuit wire will be connected with a current source and the dispenser will be handled by the user in the manner described with this difference, that instead of manually withdrawing the protruded cigarette, the user will take it between his lips and makefa single inhalation for ensuring the ignition before withdrawing the cigarette by hand or lips.

I claim:

1. A dispensing device comprising a casing having a longitudinally extending chamber constituting a receptacle for a plural quantity of articles to be individually dispensed, the casing being formed for-admitting a plurality of said articles to the upper part of the receptacle, the wall of the receptacle including two members, one of which is movable relatively to the other transversely of the length of the receptacle to open a passage laterally with respect to the articles in the receptacle for an individual article to pass the movable wall member to the lower side thereof; a seat in the casing positioned therein for receiving an individual article passing the movable wall member; means for operating the movable wall member to open the passage for the individual article to said seat, and means associated with the movable wall member and operated in the movement of the latter for stressing the individual article toward said seat.

2. A dispensing device comprising a easing containing a longitudinally extending chamber constituting a receptacle for a plurality of articles to be individually dispensed, the casing being formed for admitting a plurality of said articles to the upper part of the receptacle, the wall of the receptacle including two members, one of which is movable relatively to the other transversely of the length of the receptacle space to open a longitudinal gap in the lower side of the receptacle below the gap in the receptacle wall a seat for an 'individual article escaping through the gap; ex-

teriorly operable means for operating the movable wall member for opening the gap, said means be- .ing arranged to give said movable member gapclosing movement immediately following the gapopening movement, and in the gap-closing movement to be interposed between the escaping individual and the remainder of the dispensible articles contained in the receptacle, said movable wall member being furnished at the side which is withdrawn from the other wall member in the gap-opening movement with a resilient lug'dimensioned as to width and length and positioned in the length of the gap and with relation to the seat for yieldingly stressing the escaping article in its entire length toward and holding it von the seat.

3. A dispensing device comprising a casing having at one end a head plate provided with an opening for dispensing an individual of the articles to be dispensed, said casing comprising means for .storing a plurality of articles to be 50 wall for the escape therefrom of an individual of l the articles to be dispensed, the casing containing individually dispensed in position for individual delivery by gravity; an individual-article-seating member positioned in the frame structure for lodgment thereon of a. gravity-delivered article in alignment with said dispensing opening; a part mounted slidingly in the frame structure in alignment with said position of alignment, said part being formed for endwise encounter with the individual article;` a plunger mounted in the frame structure and protruding from the casing at the end thereof opposite said head plate for exterior manual actuation and movement-communicating connection from the plunger to said slidingly mounted member arranged for actuating the latter into said endwise encounter in the thrust movement of the plunger.

4. A dispensing device comprising a casing having at one end a head plate provided with a dispensing opening; an individual-article-seating member in the casing in alignment with said dispensing opening; means in the casing for storing a plurality of articles to be individually dispensed and for their lodgment individually by gravity on said individual-article-seating member; a part mounted slidingly in alignment with said lodgment position and formed for endwise encounter with an individual article lodged thereon, said indivdual-article-seating member having ar pair of insulated electrical contacts with inleading and outleading `circuit connections respectively, said slidingly; mounted part having insulatedly mounted on it laterally oii'set from alignment with the article seat a corresponding pair of electrical contacts arranged for circuit connecting cooperation respectively with the contacts of the first pair in the sliding movement of said slidingly mounted part, and an electrically energized igniter carried by said slidingly mounted part positioned thereon for said endwise encounter, and' means operable exteriorly of the casing for actuating said slidingly mounted part into said endwise encounter; whereby the individual article is ignited in the 'actuation for 'protruding it through the dispensing opening. i

5; A dispensing device comprising a casing having at one end a head plate provided with a dispensing opening, said casing having storage space for accommodating a plurality of articles to be individually dispensed, and means in the casing for effecting the delivery of an individual article by gravity into alignment with said dispensing opening, said means including a shelf in the storage space which at normal position when the device is held in position for dispensf ing operation, is inclined sloping downward laterally from the upper part toward a level approximately midway in the vertical dimension of the casing cavity,.said shelf being pivoted at its upper end for vibrating transversely of the casing at its lower end; spring means for holding said shelf normally at one limit of its vibrating movement; said pivoted shelf having at the rear side a member projecting upwardly divergent from the upward extent of the shelf toward the pivot line with its upper marginal portion extending longitudinally parallel to said pivot line and upward extent of the shelf a plunger mounted in the casing, said plunger having an abutment against which the longitudinal edge of said marginal portion of the shelf member is stopped at said limit, the shelf member having the edge which is thus stopped formed with a cam recess cooperating with said abutment in the longitudinal inthrust and retraction of the plunger to permit pivotal movement of the shelf in one direction and cause sucn movement in the opposite direction; whereby the longitudinal reciprocation of the plunger effects vibration of the pivoted shelf transversely of the direction of said longitudinal reciprocation at the edge of the shelf remote from the pivot line.

6. A dispensing device comprising a casing for containing a quantity of articles to be individually dispensed and having the upper part of said casing allotted for storage for such quantity; a shelf for eiecting such allotment extending horizontally longitudinally of the casing cavity and sloping transversely of said cavity, said shelf being pivoted longitudinally of the casing cavity and of said shelf at the upper part of the casing cavity and upper side of said shelf for swinging at the lower side transversely of the direction of the pivot line to carry the sloping face of the shelf from a normal rest position at which the slope is moderate to a position at which said face approximates vertical position Afor facilitating the movement oi' the articles by gravity of! from the shelf the shelf being formed with an abrupt shoulder lat a distance back from the lower side of the shelf and from the lower side of the casing for accommodating on :the lower margin of the shelf and between said shoulder and the lower sidey of the case an individual article to be dispensed, the casing being furnished at the lower side below the shelf with a lodgment adapted to accommodate an individual article delivered oil the shelf, the shelf terminating at its lower edge closely above said lodgment and at normal position in front of said lodgment and closely enough above said lodgment so that at normal rest position an individual article accommodated below said shoulder is barred from the lodgment.

IVAR JEPPBSQN. 

